Chronicles of Tonedale, 2 Centuries of [Fox] Family History

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ... to reside at the farm house. He was succeeded by John Brightwin, and in 1831, by Alfred Bowman, who died of consumption in 1834, when Richard Jago (still our trusty and valued cashier) commenced his long life of faithful service. Between 1823 and 1833, the fly-shuttle was introduced in weaving serges, instead of the old finger-thrown shuttles. The change, though slight, seems to have given a great deal of trouble, so difficult is it, to introduce even an undoubted improvement, when the grooves of tradition and habit are so deeply worn. The only surprise to us is that the change Avas not made much earlier; but when we remember that early in the century all yarn was spun in single threads by distaff and wheel; that steam power was entirely unknown, that the railway and telegraph did not exist, that all carriage was by wagon, or packhorse, and that wind and water were the only sources of mechanical power; we must feel how much our father's generation have effected in the way of advance, for us, their successors. At the time we are now speaking of (1823-33) the goods were all woven at the weaver's own houses; I have in my possession, some of the small hand shuttles, which were thrown across from one hand to the other, the yarn being wound by hand, on hollow bits of stick (usually raspberry canes) which were stuck on the. pin of the shuttle. There were a considerable number of men who had three or four looms worked by their wives and families, the father settling in the warps, even sizeing them with dilute glue, --made by boiling the scraps from tanner's yards in a copper or saucepan--fetching the yarn, and carrying the woven goods to be " perched" (i.e., examined) at some appointed place, where a foreman or one of the junior partners attended...